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Open-source is only broken in the sense that we frequently conflate it with free as-in beer.

IMO, fewer things should be free in general, regardless of whether the source is open. Charging money limits the amount of low-value users and the problems that come with them, it rewards the those contributing their expertise, and it can be a replacement for junkvertising.

So I agree with the author, but perhaps not in the sense that open-source software needs to charge money. It depends on whether the software really necessitates pay and exactly whom should be paying. Charging all users a fee can be counterproductive, but only charging for commercial use by companies can be a way to go.



> Open-source is only broken in the sense that we frequently conflate it with free as-in beer.

Sadly many open-source evangelists are advocating for it because of the price tag not because it is free.




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